


To the Voyage Ahead

by the_city_on_the_edge_of_forever



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-17 23:12:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14841015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_city_on_the_edge_of_forever/pseuds/the_city_on_the_edge_of_forever
Summary: The crew of the Enterprise debated over a topic related to Spock.





	To the Voyage Ahead

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fengyang](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fengyang/gifts).
  * A translation of [To the Voyage Ahead](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9367046) by [Fengyang](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fengyang/pseuds/Fengyang). 



             “Seems like Scotch whiskey,” Chekov raised his glass, some amber liquid splashed onto the table due to too much force applied.

            “No,” McCoy, with a mint julep in one hand, drunkenly made a pointing gesture at something with the other hand, as if there were an invisible list in front of him, “He’s a Vulcan, Scotch whiskey doesn’t affect him.”

            Compared to those who were slightly intoxicated by the excessive amount of alcohol, Spock sat straightened, only a cup of clear Vulcan tea in front of him. “Affirmative. Even if it is high-concentration alcohol, it will be as ineffective as synthesized alcohol to Vulcans. But obviously it is not the case for Earth people. I suggest you should replace alcohol with synthesized alcohol to avoid –”

            “But,” McCoy interrupted him in a louder voice, “chocolate is different. Can you guys imagine him primly drinking a mug of chocolate?” He glanced around everyone. Nobody nodded, of course, they would not associate nouns like “mug” or “chocolate” with the First Officer and Chief Science Officer of the Starfleet flagship _Enterprise_ , even if they were drunk. Getting the response he expected, the doctor nodded with satisfaction, “Spock holding a mug of chocolate, and the better part is, it will cause him to lose self-control.”

            The doctor’s opinion based on Vulcan physiology was somewhat approved by the others, including Chekov, whose opinion was rebutted. The young ensign nodded heavily, tilted his head up and gulped a mouthful of Scotch whiskey. Sitting opposite from Chekov, Kirk smiled wryly and glanced at Spock next to him.

            “If I were to say, I think it’s matter and antimatter,” one hand holding a whole bottle of Scotch whiskey, Scott almost leaned on the bottle. He tried hard to open his eyelids, heavy under the effect of too much alcohol, “The point is not to lose control, but to add them up so you get an amazing physical reaction.”

            “Why not morphology, phonology, or diction? They will create amazing things too when you add them up,” Uhura raised her eyebrow, in front of her a row of empty glasses of Klavnian fire tea, Budweiser beer, Cardassian sunrise, and half a glass of Slusho mix, but her speech wasn’t the slightest affected by the excess of alcohol, “Don’t forget he’s a linguistics expert, he is more familiar with linguistics than alcohol and physical reactions.”

            “That too,” Scott turned his head, and give her a smile that looked silly under too much liquor.

            Chekov was waving to a waiter to order more liquor, so he didn’t give more comments. But the doctor rolled his eyes toward Scott, “You go along with her just because she’s your girlfriend.”

            “And she’s right,” Scott disagreed earnestly, then turned back and give Uhura that silly smile, “She’s always right.”

            “I think you all focused on the wrong things,” except for Spock, Sulu looked like the soberest person at the table, in front of him only half a jar of sake and a glass almost full, “He might be a linguist, but we can’t forget, he is the First Officer of the _Enterprise_ first, Science Officer second, so these things are not his priority.”

            “Which means?” The doctor asked as he ordered an additional plate of whiskey baked beans and dismissed the waiter.

            “Which means these are the most important to him,” Sulu turned, gesturing at a window not far away. The scenery outside was not the ones they used to, the star lights fliting in warp speed; instead, it was sporadic stars sparkling quietly in the night sky.

            But that was not a problem, because everyone knew what he referred to. Although they were all drunk, with four years at the Academy, they would not be mistaken when someone referred to a specific star, a galaxy far away, or the entire universe, especially when they were in standard orbit without light pollution.

            “I hope you don’t mean the moon, after all, Vulcan has no moon,” the doctor slightly sneered.

            “I mean the stars,” Sulu sounds discouraged, but he cheered himself up soon, “In my opinion, I think it’s like the twin star system, mutual attraction. But the moon sounds fine too, the Sun’s influence on a star is much greater than the twin star system. Why didn’t I think of the moon?”

            “I still do not understand,” Spock, who was ignored all the time, attempted to voice again, “What is the purpose of this discussion.”

            “Because it’s a party, that’s why,” Scott clapped his hands once.

            “Vhat do you sink, Keptin?” Chekov looked at Kirk, “Who is right?”

            “Don’t look at me,” Kirk raised both his hands slightly and rejected politely, “I’m not the judge.” He pointed at Spock, “He is, because he is the topic of your discussion.”

            “But ve’re talking about your influence on him,” Chekov disagreed.

            “Therefore, I’m very interested in hearing his answer,” Kirk looked at Spock, “Spock, who do you think is right?”

            This piqued everyone’s interest, since everyone wanted their answer to be right.

            Realizing everyone’s attention turned to him, Spock straightened him uniform, which was slightly rumpled from sitting still for an entire night, “I think all of you are wrong.”

            Everyone’s face fell. “That’s not fair, Spock, the dealer can’t kill everyone off,” the doctor protested.

            “Quite the opposite, doctor, statistically, the dealer has the highest chance of winning. But in fact, this is not your fault, because none of you have the enough background knowledge,” Spock explained, “the Standard does not have a word that is accurate enough, but in ancient Vulcan, it is called –”

            “T’hy’la.” Uhura interrupted him, murmured, “Why didn’t I think of this?”

            “Perhaps it is because you had excessive alcohol intake. As I suggested before, perhaps it is more logical to replace alcohol with synthesized alcohol, which will not affect human body at all.” Spock paused, “But you are right, the word “T’hy’la” is the closest approximation.”

            “I had enough,” the doctor stood up and walked to the bar angrily. When he came back, he held a mug full of chocolate in his hand, “Now, drink.” He pounded the mug of chocolate forcefully in front of Spock.

            “That would be illogical.” Spock looked at the doctor quizzically.

            “It’s illogical to drink tea at your own bachelor party,” the doctor responded grumpily.

            “I can’t say he’s wrong, Spock, it is an Earth tradition that the groom-to-be gets drunk at his bachelor party,” Kirk shrugged as Spock glanced at him with perplexity, gesturing at several empty glasses in front of him, “I drank quite a bit myself.”

            “A most inefficient tradition.” Spock commented, but still took the mug.

            “You’re not allowed to talk before you finish that,” the doctor sat down again, “then you can tell us your answer.”

            “I can’t believe I really see zee Commander drinking chocolate,” Chekov came closer to Sulu, green eyes widened in disbelief.

            “I suppose anything could happen in space.” Sulu answered, but didn’t push away Chekov, who almost leaned on him.

            “I do not think this drink will cause any physiological difference to me.” Spock put down the already empty mug, “Logically, I have predicted that you do not understand the concept of T’hy’la. Perhaps I shall be briefer. Jim is –” he paused. As everyone stretched their necks, he placed his hand upon Kirk’s on the table, gazing into each other’s eyes, “— Jim. No object or concept can describe him. He is himself, a most fascinating –”

            “This is the worst answer I’ve heard,” Uhura commented, “I can’t believe he’s the best linguistics professor I had.”

            “Is ‘fascinating’ the only adjective he knows how to use? I heard him say it several times.” Sulu asked.

            “Does zis mean the Keptin is no different from zee nebula or zee uniwerse ve see every day?” Chekov asked, seeking a confirmation.

            “I still think it’s matter and antimatter,” Scott’s face folded as he saw his whiskey bottle was again empty.

            “If that damn place had a moon, I would say Sulu’s moon were right, a planet’s gravity is not like the goddamn always ineffective artificial gravity on the ship.” McCoy used his soup spoon to scoop the baked beans in his plate, “speaking of which, when we were in the Academy, there was this girl who once said Jim is the sun, what’s her name?” He squinted, his motion of scooping beans became slower as he was thinking hard.

            “Gaila, she was my roommate,” Uhura answered, “later she said he was the biggest hog head in the world, after he used her to cheat in the Kobayashi Maru.”

           McCoy acted like he was nauseating, “Him. Sun. Ha.” He nodded, “Hog head is never wrong to describe Jim Kirk.” He raised his glass, “To the claustrophobic guy who puked on the wrong person, and extra dark chocolate!”

            “To the guy who will never chase me down and ask for my name again,” Uhura raised her glass, “and the Vulcan lute!”

            “To no more protein pills,” Scott clicked his empty bottle with Uhura’s glass, “and a perfect harmony!”

            “To space jumps, broken parachutes,” Sulu raised his glass as well, “and Vulcan plants that never need to be watered!”

            Chekov quickly glanced at the glasses in the air, and raised his with uncertainty, “To Keptin Kirk and Commander Spock, live long and prosper!”

            “Is that the way you do it?” They had no idea who asked the question, but nobody cared, because the next second, all glasses clicked together, and everyone was laughing.

            Spock looked at Kirk in bewilderment, “I do not understand.”

            “I think they’re just very glad someone will finally take care of me.” Kirk laughed quietly and leaned onto Spock, completely relaxed.

            “I believe it is my duty as your first officer.”

            Kirk held his index and middle finger together, lazily caressing Spock’s fingers on his left hand, “And as my husband.”

            “Indeed.” Spock’s body tightened, his ear tips slightly green, perhaps because of the effect of the chocolate.

            “So?” The doctor asked. The entire table was staring at them.

            “What?” Completely immersed in their relaxed conversation, Kirk spaced out.

            “I think they are waiting for us to toast, _ashayam_.” Spock answered quietly, raising his glass first, “To Jim, my friend, brother, and lover.”

            Kirk smiled. He raised his glass in one hand, the other hand holding Spock’s tightly, “To the voyage ahead.”


End file.
